Another "Moose Tail" :cam:

[Ron J]

Accepting Fred's Challenge! This is a rerun from Dec. 2005, had to dig it out of my files.
Let me begin.... Like the rest of you, reading the stories, brings memory's back to our younger age, before careers,marriages,divorces,kids,grandkids,mortgage payments,and happier,simpler times!!
Back to the title...Moose was originally called "Rags", when my Mother retrieved him from either a newspaper ad, or a pound. Our family always had a dog, and we probably just lost one,i forget. Rags arrived at our house when i was 11 or 12,( Moose maybe a year or so) and was welcomed like he was born there.
Moose was mix,i think,about 90% sheepdog,and large.Long grey hair,kinda scruffy looking,but a Prince to me! We were like a pair of shoes! Always together.He seemed more attached to me, maybe because my younger brother Paul teased him,i don't know.

I think my Dad was the one, who started calling Rags, "The Moose", because of his size.This was a time period, prior to Leash Laws, and crap.When you could let your Dog roam free around the neighborhood,and everyone knew who's Dog was who, just like the neighborhood kids! Moose would just naturally follow where ever we went.
I grew up on the Bass River. Just walk down a few steps in the backyard to the Rock. Our short Pier,with float, was attached to the Rock. We swam off the Rock, we would also put all the plastic Battleships we built on small boards,so they would float,off the Rock. Of course, being boys, we poured glue on them, lit them on fire, and tossed Cannonballs (Largest Rocks we could lift) and play Battleship!! Swisssss, KaBoom! That was a blast!
Paul and I each had Amesbury Dory's, no motors, just Oars! We rowed everywhere,everyday! We each had 4 or 5 friends in them, with Moose of course, swimming off them, searching the riverbanks for goodies, anything that may have washed up, We would occasionally flip the boat over,and get inside the air pockets, and kick the boat up the River, figuring anybody going by in a power boat,could hear us,thinking we were crazy or something.

That Dog loved the water as much as we did. During Summer vacations, we never wore anything except a bathing suit.No sneakers either...walked barefoot everywhere,through the mud, or through the eel grass. Sucked if you stepped on broken glass, but that was far between. My Dad, had his Lobster boat moored in the channel. We could always see it from the house. If me or my father were on that boat, and didn't take the Moose, it wasn't long,before we heard scratching on the hull. The Moose would swim out on his own, and we would lift him on board.

One time, we were hanging around the Rock, fishing gear,lobster traps stacked everywhere, i happened to glance over at the Moose.,he was cleaning himself up,so it appeared.I looked closer, and seen there was a dropline wrapped around his rear leg.He was tangled up, so i carefully tried to untangle the line, knowing there would be a Flounder hook somewhere....
I followed the line,slowly,not wanting to hurt Moose. My fingers found a hook, in his matted hair, and retrieved it. Moose and i trusted each other, so he wasn't snapping,just watching. So no big deal,but...oh nooo! This line had an 8" wire, which meant another hook somewhere. Again i followed the wire this time, and located the other hook!!
"HEY MAAAA, Moose needs HELLLP!" i cried out to the house!! That HOOK was protruding in and then out of his LEFT ONE!! EEAAKK!! Like i said earlier, Moose and i trusted each other, BUT i didn't think it would be a good idea for me to play Doctor!! UH EH!! I didn't want to be responsible for Moose's Manhood! Far a i knew,he had never fathered any pups yet! (At that age, i had an idea what Manhood was,but didn't care yet)

My MOM came down to the Rock thinking me or Paul, or a friend may have been hurt. She eyeballed the Moose, and off to the Vets we went!! We should have called an Ambulance! Moose spent the weekend vacationing at the local Vets, while mending from his operation! We went to pick him up on Monday, after spending a loongg weekend worrying about him. At that age, we didn't know what kind of operation he may have gone through!
When the Vet, brought the Moose out, you could see he was one happy Dog! Big Smiles, wagging tail, but walking a bit slow..His haircut wasn't too attractive,all shaved between his legs, all orange!! Moose didn't care,neither did we! I remember asking the Vet, "Will Moose be alright?" the Vet replied, "Sure! JUST DON'T let him go fishing anymore!!"
I'll never forget that time in my life, or my best friend, Moose! Moose lived to guard my own little girls! [attachment 108190 ScannedImage-14.jpg] Rj

 

[Ron J]

This is also a re post from 2005, While i am on a roll....
When i was growing out of boats, and thinking of stupid things, like girls,,and cars, still had the Moose around. In the spring of 1964, got my first Car! A 57 Olds, Super 88, Convertible, Black, White top. Had a Honeypie also! But NO License yet. Still rowed alot,me Moose, and the Honeypie..That's another story!

The OLDS was bought through an insurance settlement,from when i got hit by a car a few years earlier,while riding a bicycle in the Winter...Ya i may be a little whacked from that landing on my head an all... Anyway..paid a whopping $500 for it. Had it registered and insured, so i could drive Mom & Dad,and Moose on my learners permit.

What seemed like years,but really only a couple of months,in late June,finally reached 16! YA! GOT MY LICENSE! LOOK OUT WORLD! HERE I COME! As soon as i received my license at the RMV downtown, i drove the DriversED's 1963 Chev.,Biscayne,4 door,6 cyl.,3 on the Tree, to my home, as quickly, speed limits obeyed of course as allowed!
Man, i couldn't wait to get dropped off, and jump into that freakin OLDS!! I ran in the house,called the Moose, and he came a runnin, to be my FIRST PASSENGER!! YES SIR! Started that 394 V8,TOP DOWN!! KINGSH&T! HERE WE COME! I remember driving down Riverview st. to Bridge st. and up to County Way, to pick-up the Honeypie of course!
Me driving, Moose in the middle,head almost over the windshield and the Honeypie on the right! Man was i King or what?
When ever i came home,after riding around on a dollar or two of gas,(21 to 25 cents a gallon), my Mother would be chuckling alot. Learned later, she thought it amusing, that the Moose was always sitting next to ME, not the Honeypie with the rather large ahemms! Hey, i didn't care, i had my best friend, the Moose, with me. There would be plenty of time later to spend with the Honeypie, in the backseat, on wooded Chebacco Road, later on..after the Drive-in Movie,.. After all, the Moose enjoyed the ride, that's what counted!! Rj

 

[ojm bc]

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[Paul (AR)]

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[Wayne in BC]

Animal pets, mostly dogs have sure played a big role in most of our lives. Fine story bud!

 

[Dan-MO]

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[Kelley (Texas)]

It looks like Moose was a boy's dog, where the boy went the dog would go too! We too had a dog that went everywhere with us...Oh! those were the good days. I love this story about Moose and the adventures that you two shared with each other.

There is one thing that I might add after reading your story as well as the stories posted the other folks...I have learned that northern dogs are no different than the dogs down here in Texas. Ron, thanks for posting this story, I really enjoyed it! Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

that I have approached a pickup truck from the rear and thought that there were two people riding in it, only to find out that the passenger was a large dog! Thanks for posting this story. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

 

[Micheal_R]

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[George-CT]

Funny how that first drive out alone in a car sticks with you all those years. My first one was Ford coupe I got from the phone company for free. All I had to do was put a transmission in it which I did. Little V-8 flat head. Fun car and many great memories from it. 5 cars of so later I finally purchased a 55 Olds Holiday Coupe Hardtop. Lots of chrome inside and out, Light blue and white. Beautiful car and it served me well for about 3 years before I traded it for something newer. A 59 Ford with the hard top that went down in the trunk.

I didn't have a Moose but my dog Sally, my bird dog, Springer Spaniel sure rode enough in it with me. Great little hunting partner. And like your dog , the dog got first choice for seating position pretty often.

Good story.

Geo-CT

 

[Royal]

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[Jackpine Savage]

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[WillyP]

You got me remembering my first car and girl (at the time). Those were the days alright. What freedom. Thanks for the memories, buddy.

 

[Ron J]

1. Helicopter motor 2. in the REAR 3. 1948 only! 4. 50 were made, although it is said 51, but used for parts...and 5. had 3 headflamps, the middle was like a cyclops, and TURNED with the frt wheels!! NO i did not look this info up!!